Signaling device for calculating-machines.



. B. BEER. SIGNALING DEVICE FOR CALCULATING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED B30216, 1912. 1,1 05,396 Patented July 28, 191%.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

O O 0 o o o o o 1: co) P Q 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 W0 0 E V Q 0 {Q i 1 B. BEER. SIGNALING DEVICE FOR CALCULATING MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED DEG.16, 1912;

1,165,396, Patented July 28,1914.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIoE.

BERNHARD BEER, or nnnsnnn, GERMANY.

SIGNALING DEVICE FOR CALCULATING-MACHINES.

Application filed December To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, BERNHARD Bnnn, a subject of the Kingdom of Saxony, .in the. German Empire, residing at 19 Hamburgerstrasse, Dresden, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signaling Devices for Calculating-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to signaling devices for indicating when the capacity of Thomas calculating machines is exceeded.

In Thomas calculating machines, as for instance disclosed by Patent No. 1,034,756, it was heretofore a disadvantage that the gong for indicating when the capacity of the machine was exceeded did not always sound in all positions of the ruler because the gong had to be located at that place outside the ruler Where the tens were no longer transferred. Accordingly, behind the last device for transferring tens, instead of the transferring lever propel-a suitably shaped two-arn'ied lever has heretofore been arranged whose motion was imparted to the gong. .There are, however, a number of positions of the ruler in which the lever connected with the outside numeral wheels no longer comes into engagement with the mechanism for sounding the gong, so that the gong is not sounded. In these cases in which it is no longer indicated when the capacity pf the machine is exceeded, the person calculating must pay very careful at tention in order to avoid incorrect results and in order not to turn the handle beyond the capacity of the machine.

A primary object of my invention is to provide that whenever the capacity of the machine is exceeded the same shall he in dicated in' every position of the ruler. To this end I cause the numeral wheel located behind the last device for transferring tens during its movement from the cipher nine to zero to actuate a stop mechanism which moves either directly or by means of an intermcdiate mechanism a further stop membcr whose length is equal to the distance through which the ruler is displaced. This vintermediate stop may he a mechanical memher, such as a rocking frame of the length of the said distance for example, which, when the capacity of the machine is cx camped, is' indirectly moved by the rotation of t ie nmneral wheel and imparts its motion to the mechanical actuating mechanism of the gan The intermediate stop may, how- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 28, 1914.

Serial No. 737,008.

- ever, operate electrically, when the stop or the intermediate member of the numeral wheel located behind the last device for transferring tens closes a contact device in an electric circuit comprising an electric bell, the bell being arranged in the fixed part of the machine.

Three illustrative embodiments of my invention as applied to a Thomas calculating machine of the customary construction are represented by way of example in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figures 1. and 2 are plan views showing a lfhornas calculating machine of the usual construction having the ruler located in its normal position, and shifted to the right one place, respectively; Fig. 3 shows a plan of the invention, the cover plate of the machine and of the ruler being broken away, Fig. 4.- is a side elevation of the device shown in Fig. 3, Fig. 5 is a detail view of the rocking frame shown in Figs. 3 and i. Fig. 6 is 2 plan view of a modified form of my invention. Fig. 7 is a crosssection through the same, and Fig. 8 is a sectional detailed view of the contact forming elements.

Referring to the drawing, Fig. 1 shows a form of the machine customary heretofore with the ruler in its normal position. lVhcn the ruler is in this position and the capacity of the machine is exceeded, the gong which is located behind the thirteenth numeral wheel is struck. V fhen the ruler or npies the position shown in Fig. 2, on the contrary. when the numeral wheels show nine, the capacity of the machine will be exceeded if more additions are made; in this position of the ruler, however, the going is not sounded.

According to the present invention, this disadvantage is met by the numeral wheel located behind the last device for transferring tens actuating by a stop either directly or by means of an intermediate mechanism a further stop member which is of the length of the movement of therule and is fastened to a fixed part of the machine. The movement of this stop miunbci is made use of for sounding the gong arranged in the fixed part of the machine. At the rear side of the machine (Fig. 3) there is arranged a frame I l so as to turn around theaxis 15', the frame 14 consisting of the vertical strips 17 and being moved linden the action of a spring -15 in the direction of the arrow 16. This frame comprises, the vertical strips or bars '17 calculates to the last place.

and whose upper ends carry a longitudinal bar 11. The rod 19 is pivoted to the frame at 18 and is connected at 20 with the tens in such manner that when the frame is moved, the tens tappet is moved exactly as if the same were rocked by the cutting finger 23 of the numeral wheel 1 when assing from nine to zero. The spring influenced pin 25, whose front end is beveled, and whose rear end bears against the upper bar of the frame 14;, is located below the cover plate of the ruler 4. The finger 23 or" the outermostnumeral wheel 1 is lengthened beyond the pivot 26 in the form of a tooth 2t which, as soon as the numeral wheel rotates from nine to zero, abuts against the in 25 and thereby rocks the frame 14, whereby the gong 13 is sounded. As the pin 25 is carried by the rulerthe frame 1 is moved in every position of the ruler; consequently the gong sounds whenever the ca pacity is exceeded without regard to the position of the ruler.

In the machine according to Fig. 3 the ong is located behind the last numeral wheel because it is assumed that the machine In machines which do not calculate through, i. e. in those whose last places, erg. the. thirteenth to the sixteenth, do not ossess devices for transferrin the tens, t e gong must be located direct y behind the last tens transference device thus at the thirteenth place.

The nmdified form of my invention represented in Figs. 3 to 5 shows a mechanical transfer which of course can be substituted by an electric one. The electrical transfer may be constructed in different ways, for instance as shown in Figs. .6 to 8. .As shown in said figures the mechanical transfer is replaced by an electrically operated one. At

a fixed part of the machine an electrically operable gong is arranged and a metal bar is located within the circuit in which said gong is situated, said metal bar having a length equal to the extent of movement of the ruler. The arrangement of these parts is such that the gong is sounded when the numeral wheel after the last transfer of the tens in moving from nine to zero and closes a circuit for operating the gong. Any well mown means may be employed for closing said circuit, as for instance a contact spring 'or a jcontaet bnusli upon a spring controlled lever, etc. li' erably spring pistons are used which doznot require frequent repairs but remain c ntinuously in good working order. The casing of the machine can he used as the return conductor. Upon the under side of the return numeral wheels are arranged in the well known manner" and the wheel 1 loiai'ed behind the last device For transferring the lens is arranged upon a shu'l't -34). Si:nultznwously with the numeral wheel a tooth ii is operat d which engages a bolt 27 standim: under the tension of a spring and urinates the same, The bolt "27 is guided within a l)\l5l\ill 3 25% in which a spring; :2 l located and which bushing is closed at the top by a nut 30 or the like. The bushing: 28 is suitably secured lo a web 33 or the like arranfied at the underside of the ruler 1-. The bolt. or pin 21' under the inlluci'ice of the spring 2 tends at all times to move toward the shaft 213 oi the numeral wheel 1. The

bolt 27 as shown in Fig. 8 carries a spring controlled piston which makes contact w th the contact rail 3-1 s cured to the casing of: the machine. For this purpose the bolt-.27 is provided with s-lmulders carrying a sleeve 31 which guides a push button 32 which in the well known manner is constantly pressed by a springtoward the outside. The piston is ot a length which prevents it during;- the normal position oi? the bolt 27 to contact with the rail 31. This rail 31 as mentioned above of a length equal. to the extcntof i he movement oi the ruler andis secured-by means of angle pieces S5 of insulating material to a partition or web 36 within the casing 37. By means of a metal bar, a wire or the like, 58 the contact rail 34 is connected with the binding post 39 of? a gong 40,t he

other binding post 41 of which 15 connected to the pole 42 of a source of electricity The other pole of said source is conductively connected to the casing by means of a screw 14-, however said latter pole being properly insulated may just as well be connected to the bolt 27 or its guiding parts 28, 30 and 33 or also to a finger 21 which then must be pri'iperly insulate'il. As shown in Fig. 8 a spring controlled piston 31., 32 is employed for making contact with the rail 31'. lhis piston naturally can just as well be replaced by a U-shaped contact spring or a contact brush which is secured to a spring controlled lever.

The device operates as follows: As soon as the piston 32 is contacting with the insulated contact rail 3% the circuit will be closed and the gong 13 of the alarm device 40 williibe sounded: It will be clear that other means may be employed in place ol? the contact rail 34, thus for instance the contact rail maybe replaced by a flexible cmnluctor guided nphn the ruler to a contact piece with which the spring: controlled pistons 31, 32, or any other }well known suitable means may contact.

The other end oi? said ['lexiblc conductor is secured to a fixed part 01 the unu-hine or can be -l'or instance connected to the metal bar 38.

1 do ('l:ll lli!-- 1. [n a calculating machine ot' the character described, the combination with the frame and a ruler slidable thereon, numeral Wheels mounted in a row on the ruler and tens transference devices on the ruler for tansferring the tens from one numeral Wheel to another, of a gong, meansfor sounding the gong and means for causing the ruler in any of its positions to sound said gon when the capacity of the machine is reache 2. In a calculating machine of the character described, the combination with the frame and a ruler slidable thereon, numeral wheels mounted in a row on the ruler and tens transference devices on the ruler for transferring the tens from one numeral Wheel to another, of a gong, means for sounding the gong, said means comprising a bar of a length equal to the distance through which the ruler can be displaced on the frame, and a member carried by the ruler and adapted to be actuated by the last numeral Wheel and to coact with said bar and thereby sound the gong when the capacity of the machine is exceeded.

3. In a calculating machine of the character described, the combination with the frame and a ruler slidable thereon, numeral Wheels mounted in a row on the ruler and tens transference devices on the ruler for transferring the tens from one numeral Wheel to another, of'a gong mounted in the frame, means for sounding the gong, said means comprising a bar of a length emml to the distance through which the ruler can be displaced on the frame, said bar bei' g mounted to rock in the frame, and awe er carried by the ruler and adapted to boy 4. In a calculating machine of the character described, the combination With the frame and a ruler slidable thereon, numeral wheels mounted in a row on the ruler and tens transference devices on the ruler for transferring the tens from one numeral wheel to another, of a gong mounted in the frame, means for sounding the gong, said means comprising a bar of a length equal to the distance through which. the ruler can be displaced on the frame, said bar being mounted to rock in the frame, a cutting finger, carrying a tooth, mounted on the pivot of tin last numeral Wheel, and a pin mounted on the ruler and adapted to be driven by the said tooth and rock said bar and thereby sound the gong when the capacity of the machine is exceeded.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing Witncsses.

BERNHARD BEHR. Witnesses PAUL ARRAS, f

K. TnNNnn. 

